|
Get your news here! Google is in.
'In', of course, refers to the widening industry centered around virtual, 3d space, though I needn't tell you all that. And 'Google' hardly needs any introduction. | Today, Google announced their latest beta effort, and it could prove quite exciting. Lively by Google promises to be a new kind of chat room in a 3d, dynamic and immersive environment. Once I picked my jaw up from off the floor after hearing that Google has FINALLY entered the picture, I was quick to put aside my plans for the afternoon and have a go at it.
While Lively falls short of offering the often rumoured GoogleEarth virtual world, it does take some of Google's most valued assets- chat and networking, video streaming, etc - and gives it a new twist with many nice suprises.
So let's get right down to it, shall we? Simple and quick download, but what else might we expect from the likes of Google? I'm working in Tabs, so as I write this I am simultaneously creating my Lively avatar and her world.
Log in to your gmail account and voila! You're on Lively. If you've got a Facebook account, you may also login with it. Nifty, neat and tidy. One of the many reasons why we've all longed for a player like Google to come into the 3d mainstream.
Access your rooms... which you obviously haven't created yet but that shouldn't be a hindrence. From the new room that you are about to create, up pops your virtual self- or in my case, a short, gnarled-hair teen with baggy trousers and a wife beater shirt. I waste no time in altering my personna. The intuitiveness of the avatar creation process is exceedingly easy. Anyone hoping for very detailed avatar adjustments is not going to be terribly satisfied, though a fairly broad range of basic features and coloring is available. What's more, there are various styles of avatars, from the realistic to the outlandish and even the anime-inspired. It's all up to you because, afterall, this is your world. I admit that my avatar's arm swinging is a bit annoying and I'm not sure I'm completely sold on her always cheerful personality. Will have to play around with her movements a bit more, though currently it all seems quite simple and easy.
Google has made shopping efficient. If only everything were this good. Simply shop for more clothing articles and furniture using the pop up Product Catalog window. So nice. So easy. So free (yup- beats IMVU any day).
Click away and view hundreds, if not thousands, of styles of boots, sandals, sunglasses, denim, and every other thing you need for your avatar or your rooms. Choose the ones you want- any number of them- and add them to your wardrobe. And I thought I was going to get away with having a quick 60 minute look-over of Lively, but the more I see, the more clear it is that we will be ordering Chinese take-out tonight so that I can test out all of the features.
After spending 45 minutes toying around with my now extensive wardrobe (including a collection of shoes that would put the Sex in the City ladies to shame), I'm ready for the next step... surely it won't take me as long.
Oops. I misjudged my ability to spend hours on creating a virtual living space. Brings back memories of playing the original Sims, creating the rooms you want to chat with your friends in. Always minding that any one of my friends is liable to pop by at any moment, I quickly realize I need a few taj-Mahal inspired creations in my mix. Or maybe a tiki poolside lounge with a swim-up bar. Or a swanky 30th floor apartment overlooking the lights of the cityscape at night. Yes- that would be perfect for sipping my real and virtual glasses of wine while chatting with all of my regular GoogleTalk and Facebook friends in this mesmerizing environment. Whatever your tastes, you'll find pre-fab rooms that are completely customizable to suit your lifestyle, and proclaim your affinity for cafe's, runway's or swimming pools.
You can add in streaming video and music to set the mood just right, again offering the perfect combination of compatability with Google's current line-up.
I play around with some mid-century Finnish-inspired wooden pieces of furniture, add in the appropriate amounts of white accrylic table lamps and a fluffy white rug, and gleam at the relative achievement I've made in a matter of minutes.
I do a quick jaunt around other rooms made by other members which shows yet another nifty feature- you can access many rooms at once via tabbed browsing. I could be having multiple conversations with various people in differing locations at the same time- though the prospect makes my head hurt, admittedly.
The movement was a bit sticky for me, though not terribly bad. Certainly not Second Life caliber, and that's not saying much. I managed to find myself being kissed by a random male passerby, so I've obviously got a bit more to learn about activating movement and emotions and reciprocating- or choosing not to ;)
Now, if you've stuck with me thus far you're in for even more goodstuff. At the bottom of each of your room pages sits the hallowed box of godliness... otherwise known as the HTML code. YES, you can embed your rooms into your own webpages. Now it's quite obvious that the MySpacers and Facebookers will have a virtual heyday with this.
The all important HELP icon is at your every corner. For the virtual world newbie or those lacking time, Google has created detailed yet succinct help centers throughout Lively to guide you on your way.
I must say that there is a great sense of liberation (sorry for the cliche verbage). There is nothing unusual that must go on to access Lively anymore than there is some novel way of opening up any website. You shut it down, and bring it back up. Add it to your favourites without worry. Open it up when you want, when your time is available. No waiting. No signing in. No fuss. I close the windows and bring them back up several times, appreciating the ease with which this virtual 3d space is readily available to me. I breath a sigh of relief at seeing the future, at least in this baby step. Though that's not to say I think this is in itself entirely revoluntionary.
As it is officially in its first day of beta, there are some things conspicuously missing. Some current drawbacks include a lack of a Mac or Linux client. No information or ETA has been given on Lively's forum as of yet for this.
No User-generated content just yet, either, though Google assures us that it is coming in the pipeline. For now, you'll have to dabble with the wide array of selections created for you. You won't be disappointed, though when UGC does enter the picture, we'll see Lively become more, erm, lively. |
|
|